History of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Timeline
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance race in Alaska, starting in Anchorage and ending in Nome. Held in early March, mushers with a team of 12-16 dogs, with at least 5 dogs pulling at the finish, cover the distance in roughly 8-15 days. Established in 1973, the Iditarod was initially intended to test mushing skills but transformed into a competitive race.
1908: Iditarod Trail Survey
In 1908, Walter Goodwin first surveyed the main route of the Iditarod trail, extending from Seward to Nome.
1908: Alaska Gold Rush
In 1908, during the Alaska gold rushes along the Kuskokwim Mountains, the Iditarod Trail reached its peak as a transportation route.
1908: All-Alaska Sweepstakes Begins
In 1908, the first major sled dog competition, the All-Alaska Sweepstakes (AAS), began, running from Nome to Candle and back.
1910: Iditarod Mining District
In 1910, Iditarod became the center of the Inland Empire's Iditarod Mining District.
1910: Introduction of Siberian Huskies
In 1910, the first Siberian Huskies were introduced to Alaska and quickly became the favored racing dog.
1911: Trail Clearing and Marking
In 1911, the Alaska Road Commission cleared and marked the Iditarod Trail, enhancing its usability.
1912: Trail Clearing and Marking
In 1912, the Alaska Road Commission cleared and marked the Iditarod Trail, enhancing its usability.
1924: McGrath receives mail by aircraft
In 1924, McGrath became the first site in Alaska to receive mail by aircraft, signaling the decline of the sled dog era.
1925: The 1925 serum delivery
Animal protection activists say that the Iditarod is not a commemoration of the 1925 serum delivery.
1928: Norman Vaughan's South Pole expedition
In 1928, Norman Vaughan drove a dog team in Richard E. Byrd's expedition to the South Pole.
1964: Good Friday earthquake impacts Iditarod route
In 1964, the Good Friday earthquake caused the Iditarod route to detour through Ptarmigan Pass, also known as Hellsgate, as Rainy Pass became inaccessible.
October 1972: Iditarod Planning Begins
In October 1972, Joe Redington Sr. along with Gleo Huyck and Tom Johnson started planning the first Iditarod race.
1973: Dick Wilmarth wins first race
In 1973, Dick Wilmarth won the first Iditarod race with a time of 20 days, 0 hours, 49 minutes, and 41 seconds.
1973: First Iditarod Race
In 1973, Dick Wilmarth won the first Iditarod race, completing the competition in just over 20 days.
1973: Terry Miller rescued from overflow
In 1973, Terry Miller and his dog team were almost pulled into a hole by a powerful current in an overflow but were saved by Tom Mercer, who came back to rescue them.
1973: Cook Inlet Crossing
In 1973, during the first Iditarod race, teams crossed the mudflats of Cook Inlet to Knik.
1973: Criticism regarding dog welfare begins
Since its inception in 1973, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has faced criticism regarding the welfare of participating dogs.
1974: Mary Shields completes the race
In 1974, Mary Shields became the first woman to complete the Iditarod race, finishing in 23rd place.
1974: Increased Musher Participation
In 1974, despite a drop in the purse, the popularity of the Iditarod race led to an increase in musher participation to 44.
1974: Cook Inlet Crossing
In 1974, during the second Iditarod race, teams crossed the mudflats of Cook Inlet to Knik.
1974: Severe weather conditions cause frostbite cases
In 1974, severe weather conditions during the Iditarod, including temperatures dropping to −50 °F (−46 °C) and 50-mile-per-hour (80.5 km/h) winds, led to several cases of frostbite among mushers and dogs.
1975: Vaughan hospitalized for frostbite
In 1975, musher Vaughan was hospitalized due to frostbite after running through an overflow near Rohn.
1975: Corporate Sponsorship
In 1975, the Iditarod race gained secure financial footing through corporate sponsorship.
1975: Original burled arch established
In 1975, the original burled arch was established as the official finish line at the Red "Fox" Olson Trail Monument in Nome.
1976: Rainy Pass becomes accessible
In 1976, Rainy Pass became accessible as part of the Historic Iditarod Trail, marking a change from the previous route that detoured through Ptarmigan Pass, also known as Hellsgate due to the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
1976: Farewell Burn wildfire
In 1976, a wildfire burned 360,000 acres (1,500 km2) of spruce in the Farewell Burn, creating hazards for mushers and dogs, slowing the teams' progress and potentially causing paw injuries.
1976: Norman Vaughan lost near Rainy Pass
In 1976, retired colonel Norman Vaughan, a veteran of polar expeditions, got lost for five days after leaving Rainy Pass and almost died. He was a dog team driver in Richard E. Byrd's 1928 expedition to the South Pole.
1976: Sponsor Losses
In 1976, the Iditarod experienced sponsor losses due to a dog-abuse scandal.
1977: Addition of Southern Route
In 1977, the southern route was added to the Iditarod to distribute the impact on small villages and pass through the historic town of Iditarod.
1978: Iditarod Trail Designation
In 1978, the Iditarod Trail was designated as one of the first four US National Historic Trails.
1978: Closest race in Iditarod history
In 1978, the Iditarod race was the closest in its history, with the winner and runner-up finishing only one second apart.
1978: Closest finish between two mushers
In 1978, the closest finish between two mushers was between Dick Mackey and Rick Swenson, with Mackey winning controversially by one second.
1979: Martin Buser Moves to Alaska
In 1979, Martin Buser, who would later become the first foreigner to win the Iditarod, moved to Alaska.
1982: Moose Encounter
In 1982, Dick Mackey, Warner Vent, Jerry Austin, and their teams were driven into the forest by a charging moose. The incident occurred in "moose alley".
1982: Rick Swenson wins fourth race
In 1982, Rick Swenson became the first musher to win four Iditarod races.
1983: Race Start Location
Prior to 1983, the Iditarod race started at Mulcahy Park. In 1983, the race starts on the first Saturday in March, at the first checkpoint on Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage.
1984: Veterinary exams implemented
Starting in 1984, all dogs participating in the Iditarod are examined by veterinarians/nurses before the start of the race to check their health and look for signs of illegal drugs.
1985: Jerry Austin's accident at Rainy Pass
In 1985, Jerry Austin experienced a sledding accident at the dangerous Rainy Pass checkpoint. During the accident, Austin broke a hand, and two of his dogs were also injured when the sled went out of control and struck a group of trees.
1985: Libby Riddles wins the race
In 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod race, braving a blizzard.
1985: Moose Encounter
In 1985, Susan Butcher's team encountered a pregnant moose, resulting in the death of two dogs and injuries to six others, impacting her chances of winning the Iditarod. The incident occurred in "moose alley".
1985: Race Suspension Due to Weather
In 1985, the Iditarod was suspended for the first time due to weather conditions that prevented supply deliveries. Mushers and dogs congregated at Rainy Pass for three days.
1986: Susan Butcher's dogs fall through ice
In 1986, Susan Butcher's lead dogs fell through the ice on the Tatina River but landed on a second layer of ice, narrowly avoiding falling into the river.
1988: Peryll Kyzer falls through ice bridge
In 1988, rookie musher Peryll Kyzer fell through an ice bridge into a creek while traversing Dalzell Gorge and spent the night wet.
1991: Rick Swenson wins fifth race
In 1991, Rick Swenson became the first person to win five Iditarod races and the only musher to win the race in three different decades.
1991: Close race finishes
In 1991, the Iditarod race had been decided by less than an hour seven times and less than five minutes three times.
1992: First Foreign Winner
In 1992, Martin Buser from Switzerland became the first foreign winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
1992: Martin Buser Wins
In 1992, Martin Buser, a Swiss resident of Alaska, became the first foreigner to win the Iditarod race.
1995: Doug Swingley Wins
In 1995, Doug Swingley of Montana became the first non-Alaskan to win the Iditarod race.
1995: Addition of Restart Location
In 1995, the largest change to the Iditarod route was the addition of the restart location.
1996: Pass Change
In 1996, Ptarmigan Pass was changed to Rainy Pass in the Iditarod route.
1996: Winning time under 10 days
Since 1996, improvements in dog training and trail preparation have led to winning times of under 10 days in every Iditarod race.
1997: Ramey Smyth injured in Dalzell Gorge
In 1997, Ramey Smyth lost the end of his little finger when it hit an overhanging branch while navigating Dalzell Gorge.
2001: Original burled arch destroyed
In 2001, the original burled arch in Nome, used as the finish line, was destroyed due to dry rot and inclement weather.
2002: Martin Buser Becomes a U.S. Citizen
Following the 2002 Iditarod race, Martin Buser became a naturalized U.S. citizen in a ceremony under the Burled Arch in Nome.
2002: Restart Location Change
In 2002, the official restart location for the Iditarod was moved from Wasilla due to insufficient snow.
2003: Robert Sørlie Wins
In 2003, Norwegian Robert Sørlie became the first non-resident of the United States to win the Iditarod race.
2003: Start Moved to Fairbanks
In 2003, the Iditarod start was moved 300 miles (480 km) north to Fairbanks due to dwindling snow and poor trail conditions.
2004: Willow Becomes Restart Location
In 2004, the Iditarod restart location was established in Willow due to lack of snow in the previous location. Also, the restart time was moved back to 2:00 P.M. so the dogs will be starting in colder weather.
2004: Restart Time Change
Prior to 2004, the Iditarod race was restarted at 10:00 a.m. AST. In 2004, the restart time was moved to 2:00 p.m. AST to ensure colder weather for the dogs.
2005: No musher banned for drug use
As of 2005, the Iditarod claims that no musher has been banned for giving drugs to dogs.
2005: Checkpoint Change
In 2005, the second checkpoint was changed from Eagle River to Campbell Airstrip due to weather conditions.
2006: Estimated costs for mushers
As of 2006, the combined cost of the entry fee, dog maintenance, and transportation was estimated by one musher to be US$20,000 to $30,000.
May 18, 2007: Ramy Brooks suspended for dog abuse
On May 18, 2007, the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors announced that they had suspended Ramy Brooks for abusing his sled dogs.
2007: Lance Mackey Wins Both Yukon Quest and Iditarod
In 2007, Lance Mackey became the first musher to win both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year.
2008: Lance Mackey Wins Both Yukon Quest and Iditarod
In 2008, Lance Mackey repeated his 2007 feat by winning both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod in the same year.
2008: Brooks' suspension begins
In 2008, Ramy Brooks' suspension from the Iditarod race for abusing his sled dogs began.
2008: Golden Harness Awarded to Babe
In 2008, the "Golden Harness" was awarded to Babe, the lead dog of Ramey Smyth, who finished in 3rd place. Babe was almost 11 years old and it was her ninth Iditarod.
2008: Restart Location Shift
In 2008, the official restart location for the Iditarod was moved further north to Willow Lake from Wasilla.
2009: Brooks continues to be suspended
In 2009, Ramy Brooks continued to be suspended from the Iditarod race for abusing his sled dogs.
2010: McGrath's population recorded
According to the 2010 census, McGrath had a population of 401, making it the largest checkpoint in the Interior.
2010: Top finisher purse amount
In 2010, the top finisher of the Iditarod race received $50,000.
2012: Close race finish
In 2012, the Iditarod race had a close finish with less than an hour between the racers.
2013: Purse Size
For the 2013 edition of the race, the total purse was US$600,000, to be divided by the top 30 finishers, with every finisher below 30th place receiving $1,049.
2013: Close race finish
In 2013, the Iditarod race had a close finish with less than an hour between the racers.
2014: Close race finish
In 2014, the Iditarod race had a close finish with less than three minutes between the racers.
2015: Champion Prize
As of 2015, the Iditarod champion receives a new pickup truck and $69,000.
2015: Fairbanks Restart
In 2015, the Iditarod race had to be re-routed and started in Fairbanks due to lack of snow.
2015: Restart Moved to Fairbanks Again
In 2015, the official Iditarod restart had to be moved north to Fairbanks again due to unusually warm temperatures and lack of snow.
2016: Close race finish
In 2016, the Iditarod race had a close finish with less than an hour between the racers.
2016: Ceremonial Start Change
In the 2016 race, due to a lack of snow, the ceremonial start was 3 miles in Anchorage.
2017: Mitch Seavey sets fastest winning time
In 2017, Mitch Seavey set a fastest winning time with a time of 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds.
2017: Mitch Seavey's Record Time
In 2017, Mitch Seavey set a new record for the fastest Iditarod time, finishing in 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds. He also became the oldest winner of the race.
2017: Wells Fargo ends Iditarod sponsorship
In 2017, Wells Fargo announced that it would no longer sponsor the Iditarod race, with the decision possibly linked to concerns about animal cruelty.
2017: Fairbanks Restart
In 2017, the Iditarod race had to be re-routed and started in Fairbanks due to lack of snow.
2019: Close race finish
In 2019, the Iditarod race had a close finish with less than an hour between the racers.
2019: Last fatalities before 2024
The year 2019 was the year of the last fatalities before the 2024 race.
2020: Sponsorship withdrawal after pressure from PETA
In 2020, several major companies withdrew their sponsorship for the Iditarod race after pressure from PETA, citing concerns about animal welfare.
2021: Dallas Seavey wins fifth race
In 2021, Dallas Seavey became the second person to win five Iditarod races.
2021: Dallas Seavey's New Record
In 2021, Dallas Seavey broke the record for the fastest Iditarod time, with a time of 7 days, 14 hours, 8 minutes, and 57 seconds.
2021: Dallas Seavey sets fastest winning time
In 2021, Dallas Seavey set a fastest winning time with a time of 7 days, 14 hours, 8 minutes and 57 seconds.
2021: Exxon withdraws financial support
In 2021, Exxon announced it would pull its financial support for the Iditarod race.
2021: Modified Route Due to COVID-19
In 2021, the Iditarod followed a modified 832-mile out-and-back route, the Gold Trail Loop, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The route began and ended in Willow.
2022: Millenium Hotels and Resorts dropped national sponsorship
In 2022, Millenium Hotels and Resorts dropped their national sponsorship of the Iditarod race.
2022: Northern route used
In 2022, the northern route of the Iditarod was used.
2023: Southern route used
In 2023, the southern route of the Iditarod was used.
2024: Dallas Seavey wins sixth race
In 2024, Dallas Seavey secured a record-breaking sixth Iditarod win.
2024: Northern route used
In 2024, the northern route of the Iditarod was used.
2024: Dog Deaths
In 2024, there was reporting on the deaths of dogs, and Sporting News wrote an article about it.
2024: Dog deaths in the Iditarod
In the 2024 Iditarod race, three dogs—Henry, George, and Bog—died during the event, marking the first fatalities since 2019.
2025: Non-Standard Route Due to Lack of Snow
In 2025, the Iditarod trail took another non-standard route due to a lack of snow. The race started in Fairbanks, and this route is the longest in the race's history, totaling at roughy 1,128 miles.
